


The Walls Did Crumble & Fall

by LLReid



Category: Reigning Passions (Visual Novel)
Genre: Altadellys, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Arranged Marriage, F/F, Fantasy, Feminism, Feminist Themes, Forbidden Love, Lysende, Queens, Royalty, Strong Female Characters, ride or die - Freeform, wlw
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-09
Updated: 2020-05-09
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:08:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24090343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LLReid/pseuds/LLReid
Summary: Fic inspired by Karliene’s cover of ‘Jenny of Oldstones’~~~~~“It is not natural for a monarch to marry for love,” Ubel said."It's not natural for someone to be as stupid as he is tall, and yet there you stand,” Lyrei deadpanned, making everyone in the room splutter with laughter.“Lord Ubel, I suggest you drop this subject,” Xenia cut in. Standing at the right hand side of the throne, she looked every inch the most dangerous spy from the Court of Queen Lyrei, down to the subtly threatening smile pulling at the corner of her beautiful mouth. “Her majesty has given you her answer, multiple times. To think that you have any right to make decisions about who she shares her body with and attempt push her into agreeing to something like this, when she has made it quite clear that she is uncomfortable, is appalling behaviour.”
Relationships: Xenia of the Autumn/Lyrei Ararieth, Xenia/Main Character (Reigning Passions)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 60





	The Walls Did Crumble & Fall

“Prince Asa of The Oscen would be an advantageous match, if you do not mind my saying so, my lady,” Lord Ubel said brazenly. “The political—“

“I am not your lady, I am your majesty,” Lyrei corrected him, “and I am not yours to give.”

“Love is the death of duty, Your Majesty—“

“And duty the death of love.”

Words, Xenia thought, were such unpredictable creatures. A few words uttered from the mouth of the Queen was all it had taken for the throne room to fall silent, stilling councillors, courtiers, and servants alike. No bow, no blade, no army or general would ever be more powerful than a single sentence from the Queen’s lips. Swords may cut and kill, but words stabbed and stayed, burying themselves in the marrow of bones to become corpses carried into the future, all the time digging and failing to rip skeletons from flesh.

The day had dawned bright and clear, but the sky had very quickly turned shades of grey and angry. Much like the council meeting. When there was a lot of power concentrated in one place, there were always plenty of scraps to fight over. If the Queen’s Court wasn’t busy drinking poisoned wine, then it was drinking bile.

“I do not believe that my elder brother would make a pleasant husband or king consort,” Lyris said. “He is not of a particularly pleasant nature.”

“One would think you would want your brother to rise, Lyris,” Ubel said.

“Make no mistake, Lord Ubel, I adore my brother... but Lyrei— her majesty, has become a dear friend to me. I care about her happiness, and I do not believe that my brother is capable of making her happy.” He sighed, “I hope you weren’t looking to me to be the voice of reason. I keep to a strict diet of ill-advised enthusiasm and heartfelt regret, unfortunately.”

“Regardless, it is the queen’s dynastic duty to continue the royal bloodline and secure foreign alliances,” the chastised Lord said. “I meant no disrespect, your majesty. I am merely stating that you are now twenty-three spans—“

“It is my dynastic duty to rule Lysende to the best of my ability, for as long as I am capable of doing so. Were I a man of twenty-three spans, I assure you that you would not be suggesting that I prostitute myself to an arrogant Oscen princeling.” Lyrei sighed. She leaned back in the elaborately carved throne she was sat in, the exasperation of her words sharp enough that they could’ve killed. “I have made my position on this matter clear to the council on multiple occasions: I marry for love, or not at all.”

She looked like a living goddess, sitting there draped in jewels and silks. A Queen was a living symbol, a beating heart, a star upon which Lysende’s future was written. Everyone had noticed that since her reign began, the country was different. The Wilds had thawed. Bellies were fuller. Storms came in faster, and passed faster. Colours were a bit more vivid, smells were sharper, music more awe inspiring. Yet none of that stopped the vultures of her court from trying to manipulate her to suit their own agendas.

“You could secure an advantageous marriage and still have lovers, your majesty,” Lord Ubel tried again. “What you do in the privacy of the royal bedchamber is your business, but that does not change the fact that Lysende needs an heir and political alliances.”

“Sticks and stones keep breaking my bones but these words, these words will kill me,” Lyrei muttered, whilst pinching the bridge of her nose. She was remarkably calm and collected, outwardly, at least. Xenia knew that inside, she was reeling, but she was remembering one of the lessons that she had taught her: ‘Little mouse,’ Xenia had murmured into ginger hair late one night in bed, ‘don’t you know the more you wriggle, the greater the cat's delight?’

“It is not natural for a monarch to marry for love,” Ubel said.

"It's not natural for someone to be as stupid as he is tall, and yet there you stand,” Lyrei deadpanned, making everyone in the room splutter with laughter.

“Lord Ubel, I suggest you drop this subject,” Xenia cut in. Standing at the right hand side of the throne, she looked every inch the most dangerous spy from the Court of Queen Lyrei, down to the subtly threatening smile pulling at the corner of her beautiful mouth. “Her majesty has given you her answer, multiple times. To think that you have any right to make decisions about who she shares her body with and attempt push her into agreeing to something like this, when she has made it quite clear that she is uncomfortable, is appalling behaviour.”

“It is of no surprise to anyone that you feel that way, Spy Master,” Lord Ubel deadpanned. He looked at her with his ice-colored eyes, beautiful and terrible all at once. “Perhaps you ought to lecture the Queen on the importance of doing her duty the next time the two of you are trysting in the shadows. Whoever controls the queen, controls the kingdom.”

“I assure you, she is much too stubborn to be controlled by anyone,” Xenia breathed. If she could keep breathing, she could prevent herself from punching him in the face. She’d never been so close to punching anyone.

“Father,” Sevastian pleaded. “Please.”

“Enough,” Lyrei said. “Lord Ubel, you will mind your tongue or I will have someone remove it— that goes for anyone in this room who even thinks about suggesting that Xenia is someone I am merely having keep my bed warm. And if you insist on continuing to make assumptions about her character, I’ll advise you only this: assume you will always be wrong. You will always, always be wrong.”

“My Queen—,” the winter Lord began, only to be cut off again.

“I love her, regardless of the nonsense people believe about her and regardless of her station. If I marry, I marry her, or I do not marry at all. Xenia is the only thing I have that is neither duty nor obligation, the only thing I chose for myself. The only thing I want.” Lyrei gripped the arms of her throne so hard her knuckles turned pure white. “I can be with anyone I want. And it'll always be my choice. I choose her.”

“Can she not just change the law?,” Ruelle whispered to Xenia.

Her heart clenched at the question, regardless of how innocent it was. People never seemed to realise that the Queen was, perhaps, just as much of a prisoner as those condemned to die in the dungeons. Her chains were a ring of metal and an ornate chair, but they were chains all the same. The truth was messy. It was raw and uncomfortable to think that the most beloved woman in all of Lysende was not granted the same freedoms as anyone else. Her affections, her emotions, her each and every breath were all matters of political significance. Choosing for herself was a luxury she would never be granted. One could not blame people for preferring the lies, for refusing to see the truth beneath the ballgowns and dazzling smiles.

Lyrei would always choose her, that Xenia knew all too well. Regardless of whatever opposition she faced, Lyrei would choose her. She had ran through every possible outcome in her head, whilst they had the support of the younger members of the nobility and the peasantry, the priests and priestesses, along with the elder nobles, would never give their blessing — regardless of how true their love was. Xenia was a low born foreigner suspected of murdering her husband, she would never be permitted to marry the Queen.

She’d thought of walking away, of making the choice purely so her sweet Lyrei did not have to. But she knew that the moment she stepped aside the wolves would attack. The simple fact was that the more powerful Lyrei became, the more others would find ways to master her. They'd do it through those she loved and those she hated. They would find the bit and the bridle that fit her mouth and would try to make her yield. How could she leave her sweet girl to fend for herself in a den of snakes? How could she live in a world without her by her side? 

“Power is much easier to acquire than it is to hold on to. She cannot change the law merely to suit her own wishes,” Xenia informed her niece. “Not without the support of the council. The political ramifications of going against the wishes of the majority of her advisors could cost her the throne... or her life.”

“Her power is cursed,” Ruelle murmured.

Xenia nodded sadly. “All power is cursed. The most terrible among us will do anything to get it, and those who wield power best do not want it thrust upon them. But that does not mean they can avoid their responsibilities forever.”

“That woman is your weakness!,” Lord Ubel growled.

“That woman’s name is Xenia, and she is my strength.”

“Your majesty, I urge you to stop with this childish defiance!,” Lord Ubel snapped.

“Childish defiance?,” Lyrei said cooly, standing from her throne so that the irritating old noble had to fall to his knees. “I am going to keep on defying you, Lord Ubel, and anyone else who dares try to force me into an arranged marriage. I am going to shame you with my defiance. I will remind you that you a mere mortal who will be forgotten by history, and I am a Queen. You have much to lose. You may ensorcel me and hurt me and humiliate me, but I will make sure you lose everything I can take from you on the way down. I will beat you at your own game and show you how foolish you were to even consider yourself a player — I promise you this is the least of what I can do.”

Lord Ubel actually looked scared, his ashen face somehow growing paler. “Is that a threat, your majesty?”

Lyrei scoffed. “No, My Lord. It is a promise.”

“Watch yourself, your majesty,” Ubel said. “Queen’s bleed just like other women.”

Multiple members of the queensguard drew their blades and Ruelle materialised from the shadows at Lyrei’s side with her daggers drawn, but Lyrei placated them with a single look and plucked an invisible piece of lint from her sleeve. “Yes, we do. We just do it in better clothes.”

Xenia reached out and placed a hand on Lyrei’s shoulder in the hopes it would calm her some. She wanted nothing more than to pull her into her arms and kiss away her agony, but to make the Queen appear weak in front of the council would be unforgivable. So much of the spy’s life had been spent guarding her heart. She guarded it so well that she could easily behave as though she didn’t have one at all. Even now, it was a shabby, worm-eaten, and scabrous thing. But it was Lyrei’s.

The rest of the weekly council meeting passed in an awkward haze of profuse but empty apologies and pitying glances from those who actually supported the relationship between the Mistress of Spies and the Queen. Afterwards, Lyrei left the council chambers so quickly that her bodyguards had to actually run to keep up with her, only to be shut out when she slammed the oak wood door of her study in their faces. A penchant for storming away and slamming doors may have been the one age appropriate behaviour the Queen was actually allowed to exhibit, so no one said a damn word about it.

“I believe she wants to be alone,” Captain Amara said uneasily as Xenia approached the closed door. The blonde woman was actually winded by how fast she’d had to chase the Queen, leaning against the door frame with one hand on the hilt of her sword and the other wiping her sweaty brow. The pity in her eyes was insufferable.

Xenia waved her off. “I count as alone.”

Lyrei was already pouring over the piles of documents she had to work through when Xenia entered the gilded study. Some people drank when they were upset, some hit things, but Lyrei threw herself into her work to the point she often forgot to eat and drink — the people of Lysende may have been better for her dedication, but it worried Xenia terribly.

Without a word she sat down on the couch forged with baby blue satin and white gold beside Lyrei and pulled her into her arms. “I am sorry that happened," she whispered against the exposed skin of her shoulder. She felt dizzy with the intimacy of the admission, more naked than she had when she could see every inch of her that very morning. “If it is any consolation, you conducted yourself admirably.”

The redhead turned to face her and leaned in, so carefully. Breathing and not breathing and hearts thundering between them. She was so close, she was so close that Xenia couldn’t feel her legs anymore. She couldn’t feel her fingers or the chill in the air or the stifling energy of the palace because all she felt was Lyrei, everywhere, filling everything and the Queen whispered, “It is not your doing, Xenia.”

“I am the one who brought you to Altadellys,” she sighed.

“Xenia—“

“I am s—“

“Those who oppose us think you can't feel anything, because they've forgotten how. You're very, very dangerous, I get that, and you're prone to some very theatrical brooding, but don't let yourself mistake that for some kind of inner corruption. They see themselves in you and are blinded,” Lyrei said. “I am thankful everyday that you found me.” She closed the distance between their lips and kissed her. Her lips were softer than anything Xenia had ever known, soft like a first snowfall, like biting into fluffy cotton candy, like melting and floating and being weightless in warm water. It was sweet, it was so effortlessly sweet. “I like the way I feel about myself when I'm with you,” the Queen continued, quietly. "You think I'm strong and smart and capable and you actually value my opinion. From day one, when I was nothing more than an impoverished barmaid, you have made me feel like your equal — like I can accomplish just as much as you can, and more. And if I do something incredible, you are not even surprised. You expect it. You don’t treat me like I'm some fragile little girl who needs to be protected all the time. I am exactly where I want to be.”

Xenia kissed her again, this time stronger, desperate, like she had to have her. She was dying to memorise the feel of her lips against her own. The taste of her was making her crazy; she was all heat and desire and peppermint tea. She had just begun reeling her in, pulling her into her when Lyrei broke away, her chest heaving. They were both breathing like they’d lost their mind and she was looking at her like something had broken inside of her, like she’d finally woken up to find that all of her nightmares were just that, that they never existed, that it was all just a bad dream that felt far too real but now she was awake and safe and everything was going to be okay. 

“By you, I am forever undone,” Xenia breathed, resting her brow softly against hers.

“What should I do about Ubel?,” Lyrei muttered. “He won’t actually hurt me, he is too much of a moron to even know how to hold a sword. I must be strong enough to strike and strike and strike again without tiring. The first lesson you taught me was to make myself that strong... but that’s the aristocracy for you. Can’t live with them, can’t murder them. I am tired of caring what they think. Why should I?”

“Because they could assassinate you without reason,” she said. “That is precisely why you must play the game and play it well, sweet girl.”

“They better. Because anything less than that isn’t going to deter me from loving you.“

Xenia sighed, afraid her voice was going to break. She was afraid Lyrei was going to hear how much her heart hurt. She felt like a constellation of wounds, held together with satin and stubbornness. “How far are you willing to go for this?”

“I will go as far as there is to go and then farther, still.” Lyrei caressed her face. “I may be their Queen, but I am no brood mare that they can pawn off to whichever foreign Prince or Princess they deem advantageous enough. My heart is yours.”

“Aren’t you in the least bit frightened about the lengths Lord Ubel and the likes will resort to in order to prevent you from being with me? Lyrei... I... I hate to admit it but I am somewhat frightened.”

“Of what?,” Lyrei asked quietly, twining their fingers together.

“I am scared, because you are not just not just the average human, you are not like anyone. There is nobody like you in all the world and it is you I want. I want you and I hate wanting things and I especially hate admitting I want them, as the things I want most tend to be taken from me.”

“Yes, they frighten me, but I have always been scared, Xenia, since the day I got here. I raised myself after being abandoned by my parents, reared in a village where the majority of people were monsters to me. I have always lived with fear. I let it settle into my bones and ignore it. If I did not pretend not to be scared, I would hide under my bedsheets forever. I would lie there and scream until there was nothing left of me. I refuse to do that. I will not do that.” Lyrei leaned across the distance between them and caught her mouth with her own. Xenia’s eyes fluttered closed and her lips parted easily as she felt the kiss sizzling through her nerves, rendering her thoughts to smoke. “I am Queen Lyrei of all Lysende, and I bow to no one. Instead of being afraid, I will become something to fear.”

“You can have anyone in the whole world and you really do want me,” Xenia breathed as she moved to kiss her neck.

“I only want you,” Lyrei replied. “I will fight for us, to whatever end. No matter how hopeless it seems, we’ll fight our way through together, because that’s what we do. We never stop fighting.”

The softest smile spread across Xenia’s face, her cheeks red, her cheeks scattered with some kind of magic dust. It was a smile she’d once thought she might have to die to earn again. There was so much she wanted to say to her, but she simply couldn’t find the correct words. She needed to tell her...what? That she was lovely and brave and better than anything she deserved. That she was twisted, crooked, wrong, but not so broken that she couldn't pull herself together into some semblance of a woman for her. That without meaning to, she'd begun to lean on her, to look for her, to need her near. There was so, so much she needed to say, “I love you.”

“I love you, too, Xenia.”

“Stay?,” the spy mistress whispered. “Stay until the end.” 

“And after,” Lyrei said. “And always.” 

\- fin.


End file.
